SHE'S HERE!!!

More details are sure to be posted, but I just HAD to get this picture up!

Mothers Day

Today is Mother’s Day and the anticipated arrival date of Baby Taurus. Things have been uneventful although I think Jenn has been having contractions…her belly becomes rock solid at times with the uterus completely contracting. Baby Taurus, you’ll have to tell me how the contractions felt while you were floating in your amniotic sac.

So a kind of depressing day, as we were hoping to have been at the birth center already and home with a baby…but the time is just not right…so we wait. It was a slow day…a mopey day…although we went to church and that was good. We came home and Jenn napped and then we were bored so went for a walk. We found a new spot…Cub Run Park…and found a creek with a quiet outcropping of rocks. The sun was just behind the trees and so we rested…I did some relaxation on Jenn and her cares went away and a brightness came to her eyes and face…she had been rejuvenated by just about 5 minutes of relaxation. It was awesome and I felt so much love for her at that moment. To know that I can bring such calmness to her and be able to encourage her with a few words and some gentle massaging. It’s amazing. So after the rejuvenation we came home to get ready for dinner and to relax the rest of the day away and had our first positive sign. Jenn’s mucous plug has softened. What a great way to end a long weekend…the baby we’ll be here soon.

Perhaps i'll be shaving in the not so distant future!!!

Simple Gifts

So today was a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Its Mothers Day and also the baby’s official due date. I requested that we not celebrate as I’m a little leery of ‘counting your chickens before they hatch.’

However, like every weekend, I was treated to a wonderful dinner Saturday night (Scalini’s Eggplant Parm, spaghetti w/clam sauce and a lil fried polenta!) This morning we lounged around and went to church. A pastor of ours celebrated her first Mothers day in 7 years since she miscarried, and yet the realization of how truly lucky I am still was not enough to pull me from my funk. We came home, I napped, and then suggested we get out of the house. It’s a picture perfect day ~ 75, blue, and sunny with the perfect breeze blowing through. If I go back to work tomorrow and miss this day – I know I’m gonna be PISSED!

So we were heading towards Bull Run park, but turned around fearful of an entrance fee and made our way to a random path marked on the side of the road. Little did either of us know that it crossed a stream. The sound of water, the sun going down behind the trees ~ it was perfect. We trekked down to a perfect sitting spot and just enjoyed the silence. I began to feel a little better. Then Peter did some relaxation and I awoke re energized.
• It is BEAUTIFUL outside
• I am 40 weeks pregnant and walking around a path with a healthy baby in my belly
• I have a husband who I KNOW is as excited about this baby as I am
• I have a supportive family
• I have a beautiful home
• I have a safe car
• I have a secure job
• SHREK is on tonight at 8pm

With the weight of the world seemingly lifted from my shoulders we came home and I lost my MP. Be it hours or days…you are on your way!

Taking One for the Team

The baby beard…It’s been a week since the last time I shaved and that was when we were at 38 weeks so today I trimmed up my neck but kept the facial hair. I’ve decided that I will grow a baby beard…only shaving once the little bugger has arrived. My version of the “playoff beard”. This is serious work and I need to support my wife anyway I can. So today the “baby beard” is born and soon the little bugger will be born too…come on Baby Taurus…we’re looking forward to meeting you.

UNCLE!

Idiom:
cry/say uncle Informal
To indicate a willingness to give up a fight or surrender

More Homemade goodies

In addition to the BABY, cleaning products, crib blanket, etc, Peter and I decided to venture into maternity photography as well. While I LOVE the pics i see of other moms: the stretch marks, chubby body (though less now than before getting preg), and frugality of me ~ I just can't fathom spending the money on professional pics.

Peter has done so much to make me feel wonderful these past 38 weeks and topped it off with a truly pampering weekend. This was the first weekend that i truly felt sorta icky, but when he:
*makes a breakfast of prosciutto, melon, provolone, cafe con leche, oj, and orange & cranberry scones then
*makes the second round (hours later) of poached eggs, on a crab cake with holindaise & asparagus
*goes with me to get my nails done
*giggles with sheer excitement as i have some serious contractions at Wal-Mart.
*offers to take pictures to make me feel beautiful (and even absorbs far too much 'constructive criticism' from the family photographer...

You can't help but have a wonderful weekend

Bigger is better?!?!?

How come everything i read says that "by this point your weight gain and belly growth should have reached its peak" LIARS! Last week alone i gained 3 lbs and i OBVIOUSLY am getting bigger. Thankfully, i'm dropping. I still don't think the pics show it, but trust me...the view from above says otherwise.

The the yellow pic is 33w7d and brown pic is last night 37w6d. Ok, now that i write it out - i feel silly as its been 4 weeks. Man does time fly by when your havin fun.

Pregnancy cravings

Yea ~ That's about it. I'll admit: some days i get a random want of brownies, pizza, or mexican, but nothing really compares to my craving to wear a smokin pair of FMP's and go dancing. Last night was no exception. We went to "Catbo", now called Border Cafe, (tomorrow prob something else) to listen to my fav band out here.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=61692706

I mean how can you go wrong when a guy can combine Prince, Otis, and Hootie into one set?!?!

Nonetheless, I just had to sit there any enjoy. No dancing for me these days. However I do have to say THANK GOD for this band, else i would feel like i've slipped into Pregnancy oblivion.

M-I-C

Awe Mickey...your so cute. But do you see those HANDS??? Now add a finger. Yes, perhaps just a pinkie there on the end. And voila...that is what my hands look like these days.

I swear I wake up in the middle of the night with club hand. It progressively gets a lil better come morning, but these lil sausage fingers may never be the same.

P.S. - baby's dropped a lil and i can BREATH...but...gotta go pee ;)

YES!!!

Ok - i'll admit. I watch videos of EVERYTHING online...ok I skip the yucky mean things, but everything else is pretty much free game. And with this, I typically watch, form an opinion and quickly forget them.

This video - i don't ever want to forget.

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~tm322203/Midwife/

I want to share share share it with everyone i know. The sentiments in this video are MINE and I couldn't have said any of it any better, much less found/created more perfect imagery to go along with the words. The video was placed on another blog I often read (http://thelactivist.blogspot.com)

Its not about or done by the midwives that we're seeing. And though we'd love the opportunity to deliver at home, we'll be at a birth center (for insurance purposes). Nonetheless, its a beautiful video and I too, wanted to share.

Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite

You'll notice that this post also falls under the rainy weather, crafty...what to do time frame as the previous.

For the past 8 mos (well prob only 6 or so) we've been looking and looking and looking for baby bedding. What is a simple chore for some, has been sheer torture for me. For starters, the baby's sex is a surprise. This immediately takes away 80% of the commercial bedding on the market. Next, I'm not a huge fan of anything overly cutesy...yes I do have a pink poodle purse, but i SERIOUSLY draw the line at anything Disney. Then I have this thing for softness. At age 5 I 'borrowed' a blanket from my grandmother because it was the perfect level of worn and soft. NONE of the baby blankets i have found even come close to what I want.

Now I know that you don't use these blankets in the beginning and some don't even use them at all, but...to me not having one verged on sacrilege, so i had to do something.

Thankfully I have a very understanding and encouraging husband who actually got excited when we found the perfect fabric and convinced me that YES - I could make the blanket myself and we could easily pick up the other pieces to match. And so I did...well a teeny tiny teddy bear size prototype at least. The rest/best is yet to come.

She's Crafty...

Oh how i wish I could have the Beastie Boys playing in the background while this post is being read, alas...the idea will have to suffice.

Baby Brewing and rainy weather are a dangerous combination. What started with wanting a natural ~ i.e. drug-free and midwife attended birth ~ has lead down a slippery slope of hippie-dom. We slowly progressed to organic eggs and rBGH-free milk, since i was consuming so much of the two it just made sense. Then we decided we wanted to cloth diaper, as we practice 'leave no trace' when we camp...shouldn't we do so in our lives as well? And on and on - up to today - I mixed up my first batch of homemade laundry soap. Why??? Well it too just made sense. Why purchase that special 'baby soap' when we can make our own completely natural product.

Laundry Soap
2c borax
2c washing soda (a little hard to find - we bought at a pool supply store)
2/3 bar grated castile soap
Mix it all in a glass jar and use 1-2TBSP per load

Of course - peter had to take a pic for posterity’s sake.

31 days...is that legal?

Its hard to imagine that in 31 days (+/-14) that there will be a baby...here...on my lap. And it will *gulp* my OURS.

I'm trying my hardest to keep working (though i really don't have anything to do) but all i really do is sit on the sofa and daydream. My two favorite to-be moments in my head are (1) singing happy birthday on your real "birth" day here at home, and (2) soaking in the tub with a little wiggly you, exploring just how far those arms and legs can really reach.

Enjoy your last few weeks in there. I know I am.

Dear Baby Taurus... Love Dad

Baby Taurus - your name for now - to be revealed the day you are born. You are for now a mystery hidden inside your mommy. Safe, protected and well loved. We're so excited to meet you.

For the past 34 weeks you've been growing: developing a brain, a nervous system, a heart and circulatory system, lungs and a respiratory system, a stomach and digestive system, a pituitary gland and endocrine system, bones and muscles, and skin to protect it all. All this growth and development - all this genetic work inside mommy, a mix of Alcantara and Sapp to produce you, baby Taurus.

Our baby, our joy. What a miracle for when you are born you will know us without knowing what we look like. You will know, because it is written inside of you - every cell - and you will know us by our voices. This amazes me. For you are not even physically with us, yet you are already learning. You are amazing.

You may arrive very soon. Estimated date of arrival is in 5 weeks...May 13 ~ Mothers day! And you have an amazing mother. I'll tell you more about her later. But for now, know that she loves you very much and is looking forward to meeting you.

Holy Pressure Batman

So last night - i think i may have over-done my yoga'ing. Well, perhaps not 'overdone'. Perhaps I've done exactly what i should be doing, but just don't like it.

Somewhere between the bazillion swats i did and the other hip opening postures I think that i've just dropped, well rather ~ baby Taurus has just dropped. Yes, yes, yes ~ I KNOW technically it isn't something that happens immediately, but try telling that to my body. All i know is that when i went to yoga i felt ok. When i left i felt like crap. (Its like I've been doing a spilt for 3 days then immediately got up and tried to run.)

Now I'm actually trying to think of another option instead of just getting up and walking to the bathroom.

Estimated time left:
5 weeks 4 days = 38 days = 912 hours = 54,720 minutes

Types of boobs

So typically when one thinks of having babies, at some point one beings to think of boobs.

From the days of conception, sore boobs in the first trimester, big boobs in the third, to ginormous feeding vessels after the baby is born.

However - there is also a rarely discussed species of boob out there that most don't dare discuss. Its in Webster's dictionary as "She who lacks faith in her family and friends, and continuously throws pity parties for herself. See also ~ Jenn"

This rare variety of "boob" was spotted at her SURPRISE baby shower this past Saturday. For MONTHS Yujin among other friends and family have been watching me suffer at the idea of just not being loved enough and trying my best not to be/act selfishly. But man it has not been an easy road, and man is it embarrassing when you confide (constantly) in your best friends.

Alas, under the guise of getting pictures taken on the mall during the cherry blossom festival, i was (thankfully) all cute and spiffed up. Becky had told me a few days prior that the decorations were still up from Yuj's surprise birthday party, so i didn't suspect anything immediately when i walked into their appt. BUT something did catch in the corner of my eye. People - lots of People, and they were people that didn't belong in this space. I was very confused and then got the big "surprise!"

I couldn't believe it. My best friends from DC, my family from Pittsburgh and Peter's from CT. ALL here. FOR ME (oh and that baby of course). Finally i could STOP worrying about not having ANYTHING and i could feel a little better about why Peter was sooooooooo pase about the NEED to go shopping. (doesn't he love me, doesn't he love this baby?)

Its great to be LOVED...even if you are a boob of course.

technical stuff

So last night i was feeling particularly crappy. Post-nasal drip and all. BUT i did have a huge break through with the lil one.

In a moment of genius we had a lil chat. We both agreed that no one wants another Gemini in the family and that all would be best, if it would try to come on time. After all - we hadn't been calling the baby - "Baby Taurus" for NOTHING.

Then I asked if it wanted to play a lil game. It kicked a yes, so i proceeded. Kick once if your a boy and twice if your a girl. Then immediately - BAM

Isn't science wonderful?

Could this be the begining of the end???

So this past weekend I went home to pittsburgh. I felt a little under the weather, but deemed it to mostly self pity. Before we left I updated my baby registry, and noticed a few gifts missing. So i foolishly expected a surprise shower. I was previously told it was a bad weekend, due to St. Patty's day, but really...adults & St. Patty's day??? I suspect it revolved more around March Madness then anything else. Stupid stupid me. There was no celebration. I did however learn that my dad & stepmom got a nice 'pamper-me' basket for their neighbor who was preg. Me - i haven't even gotten a card from them. Its nice to know where you stand i guess...but damn depressing at the same time.

So after all that it should be no surprise that all i wanted to do was sleep while i was there. But then i get home and all i still want to do is sleep. AND i find more sniffles and aches and pains to accompany me. I HAVE 8 WEEKS LEFT it can't get bad yet. CAN'T you hear me - i won't accept it!

On a good note, Aunt Jude booked her flight for May 25 - 28 to come and meet baby. Let's hope your here by then ;)

I've got Belarus on my belly

Is it possible that 8 months into this i am still finding surprises around every corner?!?! Is it possible that my nose will ever stop? Is it possible that in creating a lil human I sometimes fear i am just hosting an intergalactic kegger in my belly? Is it possible that my latest and greatest addition looks JUST LIKE BELARUS???


So lets talk about stretch marks. The good, the bad and the WHOOOAA what IS that? So like most first time moms, I took a memory glimpse of my mom's belly and though a lil whimper might have escaped, its NOTHING compared to some of the battle scars i've seen. So when a few months ago the first 6 appeared (3 on each side of my belly button) I almost thought they were cute. A few weeks later another set of six crept in. Now the other day after stripping off a rather tight waisted, low-rising pair of pants - i was rubbing my poor lil crease lines in hopes of making it all go away. When - hmmm that's not quite the same vertical streak i've been rubbing. I bend over to take a look. HA! Impossible. So i waddle over to the mirror to take a closer look. I actually have to LIFT up my belly to get a clearer check and there is it...BELARUS.



EVERY stretch mark i've seen has been just that ~a longish stretched piece of skin. WHERE ARE THE PICTURES OF BELARUS? For a few days I held out hope that perhaps it was just a bruise, but nope. Its a BIG, round, country shaped stretch mark. Please don't let this be a sign of things to come.

Sunny Sunny day

Today looks BEE-U-tiful outside. Its breezy and i want nothing more than to take our blanket - a big glass of iced tea, a good book and go bask in the sun. It looks like one of those days where just when you begin to sweat a lil and wish for the cool days of fall a cold whisp of air blows almost right through you and instantly you wonder if you should run inside for a sweater. However, there is still snow on the ground and at best - it might be 42 degrees f.

I have little work to do today. I should be reviewing past reports for errors, but really...not going to happen. I also could be doing laundry and cleaning as we're having people over for a Chinese New Years dinner on sat, but instead i'm daydreaming about shamrock shakes, driving with all the windows open and sitting outside in sunny spots. Well that and expensive designer maternity jeans that cost $265. Can you imagine?!?!

In one month and 1 day i am photographing a friends wedding. I am very excited and only starting to get a lil nervous. My biggest fear is what to wear. Do you really think professional photographers care about this kinda crap? Of course most of them prob aren't 8 mos pregnant when they book their first wedding.

Babyland is good. The heartburn has subsided for the past few days which has been nice, only to be replaced by my need for my 5pm nap. Again ~ really not so bad. I got a few cute new clothes from Old Navy, which keeps me happy. Now if i could only muster up the $40 to get my nails done...i might acutally feel like a lady again.